chapter

10PersonnelProceduresand Practices

Human Resources Perspectives

Lack of attention to the needs of employees can have dire consequences for an organization:

• Repercussions on effectiveness• Underperformance• Increasing rates of employee attrition• Underutilization of capabilities and talents

Human Resources Philosophy

• People and organizations need each other.• When the fit between individuals and

organizations is poor, one or both suffer.• A good fit benefits both the individual and

the organization because a relationship of mutual exchange is created.

Personnel Planning

• Adding human resources without a clear plan of what to do with them is counterproductive.

• Like any planning process, personnel planning is a systematic approach to understanding needs and seeking out the best ways to fulfill those needs.

Law of Diminishing Returns

Human Resource Planning

• Organizational capacity is the ability to meet the needs of additional staff.

• Issues to consider related to organizational capacity:– Existing staff levels– Fiscal resources– Supervisory resources– Physical and administrative support systems

(continued)

Human Resource Planning (continued)

• In addition to organizational capacity, personnel needs must be considered.

• These needs can be thought of in two ways: – Personnel needs based on position– Personnel needs based on qualities

Employee Diversity

A diverse workplace is important for many reasons:

• It is the right thing to do.• It makes good business sense.• It represents the composition of the clients

the organization will be servicing.• Laws in the United States and Canada

impose restrictions on hiring practices that discriminate based on demographic indicators (i.e., age, race, sex, ethnicity).

Personnel Processes

• Development of the job announcement• Candidate recruitment• Candidate selection• Orientation, training, and employee

development• Performance appraisal

Job Announcement

• Job announcements are not just a notification of an available position. They also serve as a template for candidate selection and as a marketing tool for the organization.

• Organizations often require that job announcements include some standard wording or statements. Always check with your human resources department or representative to ensure that you understand your organization’s requirements.

Recruitment

• Recruitment strategies should be proactive.• Recruitment strategies should generate

large applicant pools that are both deep and wide in order to find someone who is the best fit for the position.

• Organizations can recruit internally (within the current organization) or externally (someone from outside the organization).

Benefits of Internal Recruitment

• Provides more in-depth knowledge of employee skills, abilities, and work habits

• Requires less resources to be spent on recruitment• Creates a performance incentive for existing

employees and may increase motivation• Requires less time for getting the new employee up

to speed• Creates long-term attachments and deeper

organizational loyalty

Benefits of External Recruitment

• Provides a wider range of qualified applicants

• Adds skills and abilities not currently in the organization

• Brings fresh ideas and perspectives• Can help shift existing organizational

culture• Can promote increasing diversity in the

existing workforce

External Recruitment Strategies

Possible options ranging from the most targeted and personal to the least:

• Using professional and personal networks• Posting on the organization’s Web site• Using third-party firms• Posting at career fairs or through

professional and trade organizations

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External Recruitment Strategies (continued)

• Sending e-mail through targeted distribution lists

• Placing ads in trade or professional publications or Web sites

• Placing ads in newspapers or other print sources

• Advertising generically on job search Web sites

Candidate Selection Process

• Develop a selection process.• Screen applicants.• Interview top applicants.• Make an offer.

Three Specific Types of Interviews

• Screening interviews• Phone interviews• Face-to-face interviews

– Individual interviews– Group interviews– Assessment centers

Orientation, Training,and Development

• Lack of investment in this stage wastes human potential.

• Both skills training and ongoing learning are critical parts of an employee’s growth.

Key Components of an Orientation

• Orientation efforts should address the following topics:– Organizational values– Organizational structure– Work-related policies, procedures, and rules– Facility tours– Compensation and benefits– Bonding and esprit de corps

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Key Components of an Orientation (continued)

• In addition to the general orientation outlined on the previous slide, new employees should also have a job-specific orientation that could include the following:– Time to meet and get to know their supervisor– A discussion of job scope and duties– Introduction to office space and resources– Staff introductions

Performance Appraisal

• Performance appraisal or employee evaluation is used to achieve several goals:– To provide feedback on performance– To provide opportunities for learning and education– To stimulate motivation– To help make decisions related to commendation,

promotion, discipline, or termination– To draw connections between an employee’s

individual job performance and unit or organizational goals

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Performance Appraisal (continued)

• Informal performance appraisal includes staff meetings to discuss progress, pats on the back, constructive criticism, short written notes, and e-mails on a job well done or performance that missed the mark.

• Formal performance review is less frequent and relies more on objective measures of performance, such as a sales target (more subjective measures are used when objective indicators are not available).